title: Sexual pleasure and intimacy among men who engage in "bareback sex".
abstract: An ethnically diverse sample of 120 mostly gay-identified men who engaged in "bareback" intercourse was recruited via the Internet in New York City. By study design three quarters of participants were HIV-uninfected and engaged in condomless receptive anal intercourse. In the course of face-to-face in-depth interviews, participants were asked what led them to have their first bareback experience as well as to continue with the behavior. Qualitative analysis identified the pivotal role that sexual pleasure and intimacy have in this population and how drives for sexual satisfaction, adventure, intimacy, and love overpower health concerns and condom use recommendations. Men interested in bareback sex use a variety of defense mechanisms to account for, justify, and exonerate their behavior. HIV-prevention interventions have paid insufficient attention to libidinal drives, a crucial element of psychological functioning.
authors.affiliation: HIV Center for Clinical & Behavioral Studies, New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York, NY, USA. ac72@columbia.edu
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carballo-Diéguez
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ventuneac
authors.forename: Gary W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Dowsett
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Balan
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bauermeister
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Remien
authors.forename: Curtis
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dolezal
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Giguere
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mabragaña
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D009519:New York City; D057181:Pleasure; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012309:Risk-Taking; D047568:Unsafe Sex; D055815:Young Adult